Penny and Jelly are sure to warm the hearts of both future talent-show contestants and readers who have similarly close...
The Peabody Elementary School Talent Show is a source of anxiety for Penny, who has no clear talent.
Jelly, Penny’s small black-and-white dog, is her best friend, sticking by her as she tries to figure out what her talent is, no matter how loud, uncomfortable, or unpleasant that process might be. From playing the tuba and juggling to jumping rope and designing doggy fashions, Penny fails at them all. But it’s not for lack of trying or a shortage of determination. Multiple lists and lots of ideas later (magic, yodeling, ballroom dancing), the exasperated Penny finally just crosses the talent show off her list. She doesn’t want to share her “untalentedness” with the whole school. But when Penny reaches her lowest, her dog comes through for her, showing her just what the two of them are best at, and readers will not be surprised at the award they win. Heder’s illustrations appear to be watercolors, and they capture both Penny’s outsider status among other kids and her close relationship with her pooch, who is always at her side. Spot illustrations and white backgrounds work well to show the many activities attempted, and the lists with crossed-off items speak volumes about Penny’s rising frustration level.
Penny and Jelly are sure to warm the hearts of both future talent-show contestants and readers who have similarly close canine friends. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-544-23014-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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